Detailed information
Species
Chernovite-(Y), Quartz
Dimensions
20 x 41 x 15
mm
Weight
18 g
Locality
Wanni Glacier (Wannigletscher) Scherbadung Area, Kriegalp Valley Binn Valley, Wallis, Switzerland
Condition
No recorded repairs
A 2.5 mm diameter waxy brown crystal of the extremely rare yttrium arsenate Chernovite-(Y) on matrix with small Quartz crystals from the famous occurrence in the high Alps at Wanni Glacier (Wannigletscher), Binn Valley, Wallis, Switzerland. Chernovite-(Y) forms a series with the phosphate end-member Xenotime-(Y) but while Xenotime-(Y) is quite widespread worldwide Chernovite-(Y) is far from it. This lovely miniature is from the superb systematic collection assembled by brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).